Where’s Ryan Gosling? Ryan Gosling Rachel The Oscar-nominated “Half Nelson” star, was a surprise entry on the Oscar slate. But he’s been pretty much MIA from the campaign circuit.
Friday, December 31, 2010
Real Life Couples ~ Your Loves A Drug
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32ofCflZWLY&hl=en
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
the NOTEBOOK music video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruVo7-ndVWg&hl=en
Monday, December 27, 2010
The Notebook - Justin Levitt
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFNBFQLYUY8&hl=en
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Best & Worst Date Movies of All Time
If you thought selecting a restaurant or what to do was hard, think again.
The most important decision you can make, one that will make or break the date, is the type of movie you choose to go see. Now if you're already in a relationship or married, the rules of film selection are a little different.
The Golden Rule: Do not go to the movies on the first date. I can not stress this enough. The first date is all about getting to know each other and the movie theater is the last place you'll be able to do that.
The Movie Rental: If you want to watch a movie and your budget is a little tight, consider renting a movie and taking it back home with you. Ten years ago going to a movie would have been affordable, but things have changed. Admission to a film is about $11 and some theaters even offer luxury seating now which can run you a whopping $15 per ticket. Now factor in the cost of drinks ($10), popcorn ($5), candy ($5), and parking ($2). All of a sudden you can find yourself spending upwards of $50 for a movie.
For about a fifth of the cost you can enroll in programs such as NetFlix which allow you to rent an unlimited amount of movies for a low monthly price and no late fees. You simply select the movie you want and they will be mailed to you in a few days. Once you're finished watching them, simply place them in the prepaid envelope and ship them back. It's really that simple.
Watching a movie at home has several advantages:
You can start and stop the movie whenever you like
Talk your heart away since nobody will be there to shush you
You can rent classic or critically acclaimed films which you know are good
And best of all, it only costs about $5
Here are some films for your consideration that are sure to go over well with your date...
BEST FILMS TO RENT - All Genres (No Particular Order)
Ghost (ROMANCE - 1990 - Starring Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, and Whoopi Goldberg): Ghost is the story of love beyond death...a love endures all type of film. It is why you have to tell people that you love them all the time, because you never know what can happen tomorrow. Ghost shows us that true love is timeless and has no boundaries. The movie has it all: romance, action, and comedy (courtesy of Whoppie Goldberg as Oda Mae Brown). The film is not without its flaws but it is successful at conveying its message and leaving you with a sense of satisfaction.
The Notebook (ROMANCE - 2004 - Starring Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling): The Notebook is a contemporary love story and a favorite with many women. Adapted from the best selling novel, the film tells the story of two "star struck" lovers from different sides of the track. Sound familiar? The movie is about love at first sight...the type of love that you carry with you wherever you go and regardless of the circumstances. The type of love that stays with you throughout your life and doesn't let you forget.
My Cousin Vinny (COMEDY - 1992 - Starring Joe Pesci and Marisa Tomei): When two young men are convicted of a crime they didn't commit, it's up to Joe Pesci (playing a hysterical role as the argumentative attorney from New York) to save them from being sent to the electric chair. My Cousin Vinny is a well written and clever comedy that is sure to be a hit. Marisa Tomei does an incredible job as Joe Pesci fiance; she won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.
The Shining (HORROR - 1980 - Starring Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall): If you're into horror, this movie is a must. Directed by Stanley Kubrick, and adapted from the Steven King novel, The Shinning is by far one of the best horror films ever made. Unlike modern horror films, there are no predictable scares, deformed people hiding in the hills, blood thirsty zombies, or girls that decide to stay in the house while a killer is on the phone. Instead, Kubrick brilliantly combines cinematography, music, and sound to create this masterpiece of horror. Keep an eye on the boy...this film gave birth to the over-used emotionless child with ESP so common today (examples include The Sixth Sense, The Ring, The Ring Two, The Grudge, Godsend, Hide & Seek, and even the Got Milk commercial).
A Clockwork Orange(SCIENCE FICTION - 1971 - Starring Malcolm McDowell): Adapted for the screen by Stanley Kubrick, A Clockwork Orange is one of the few films ever made that is able to evoke each and every emotion a human being is capable of having. The movie is a genuine masterpiece; it's so good that there is nothing anyone can really write that will do this film justice. Be warned in advance that just like any fine piece of art, this film isn't for everyone. Those who are able to appreciate the film and its underlying message will undoubtedly question every film they have ever seen.
Worst Films To Rent
Let's face it guys, we love action and we don't need a plot. If it's fast paced, bloody, and has lots of guns we love it. Unfortunately, our dates don't always feel the same way. This actually brings me to my next point and film; if a date ever tells you that her favorite movie of all time is Bloodsport, marry her!
Bloodsport(ACTION - 1988 - Starring Jean Claude Van Damme): I for one love this movie...watching JCVD (Jean Claude Van Damme) do his "deaf touch" and having Chong Li say "Brick Don't Hit Back" was awesome. But the problem is that if I watched this on a date, it would probably end before the opening credits are over. The same goes for all of our other JCVD favorites such as Kickboxer, Lionheart, and Hard Target. You can actually use these movies to end a date on purpose, but that's another discussion and another time.
Friday, December 24, 2010
The Masked Era (OOTP)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHJBhRVpJp4&hl=en
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
The Notebook - That's Where it Is- *Preview*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqJkcAONgDY&hl=en
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Loving you - The Notebook video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jf8aunEF2zo&hl=en
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Classic Hollywood Romances - Celebrating A Rainbow Of Life With The Varied Hues Of Love!
Well, does anyone of us ever come to think of Hollywood's most memorable romance classics spanning decades? As an ardent admirer of romance and the alluring Hollywood musicals, I unmistakably feel my pulses rising with the sheer magic and aura of the timeless romances portrayed so very lovingly in the silver screen of the yesteryears. Be it the ever-touching saga of star-crossed lovers meeting during wartime under the Moorish arches of Rick's Café American in "Casablanca", or the sweeping melodrama, "Gone With The Wind"-- based on Margaret Mitchell's bestselling Civil War epic (which defined the term "Hollywood blockbuster"), I have an insatiable appetite for each of them.
Oh how can I ever forget the sweeping emotions of the magic of a shipboard romance which charms a Frenchman and American woman (Charles Boyer and Irene Dunne, respectively) into each other's arms in the ever-memorable "Love Affair"? Or do you remember that phenomenal romance between Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr in "An Affair To Remember", where a man and a woman meet on a ship crossing an ocean and fall in love, only to part ways, promising to meet dramatically on the top of Empire State Building, New York (which unfortunately, doesn't happen later)? Equally unforgettable to my mind is the all-time epic love saga, "Roman Holiday", which happens to be the most priceless transient romance between a disguised princess and a handsome American reporter (Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck, respectively).
When you come to think of candlelight romances, serenading, wooing the beloved or star-crossed epic love sagas, you would obviously mark the romantic chemistry between the lover and his beloved as the quintessential foundation behind these wonderful, witty and immensely touching tales of true love. Interestingly, the success of these blockbusters in romance in Hollywood comes from incorporating core elements of Hollywood (especially the music), classical romance elements and a degree of sentimentality which, again, is quite stylishly sophisticated in nature.
The 50's and 60's were the hey days of classic romance in Hollywood, when ethos, pathos, happy endings, heart-wrenching goodbyes and romantic love scenes along with power-packed performances by some of Hollywood's heartthrobs like Gregory Peck, Audrey Hepburn, Ingrid Bergman, Cary Grant, Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh and Marilyn Monroe were the staple of every young heart. Now, I would rather not attempt this article as a primer of cinematic history comprising the best films of all times from the classic romance genre, for that is the job of an encyclopedia and not that of a human. And these days, you are sure to get plentiful of those online. So I would limit my writing to the discussion of only some of the milestones of our cinematic past, the era and the cultural milieu behind the production of these masterpieces, which again, comes from the sheer love I feel towards these movies.
While today, Warner Bros., Twentieth Century Fox, MGM and Columbia (Sony) are some of the pioneers in Hollywood film production and distribution, in the yesteryears, Paramount Pictures, the longest-lived American movie studio, used to lead the arena of American motion picture production and distribution. Those were the blissful times when the Hollywood studio system produced classic movies embodying a refined, evocative method of storytelling that left something to the audience's imagination. While this was true right from the early nineteen hundred and thirties' till the sixties', the audience those days were fed on films which did adhere to certain standards of discretion and used established cinematic devices to imply what they could not say explicitly. Without an iota of blatant sensory stimulations, the sheer use of compelling stories and characters, snappy dialogue, high production values (including those of cinematography, editing, shot composition, scoring, sets and costuming) and above all, extra-ordinary acting prowess of the stars those days gave birth to some of the most celebrated reel romances of all times, including "Gone With the Wind", "West Side Story", "Casablanca", "Roman Holiday", "My Fair Lady" and "An Affair to Remember".
The 40's, 50's and 60's, combined, was also the era producing the greatest silver screen legends like Marlon Brando, Humphrey Bogart, Spencer Tracy, the irresistibly handsome Cary Grant and the super charismatic Gregory Peck, the celebrated smidgens Katharine Hepburn and Bette Davis, Ingrid Bergman, Sofia Lauren, Audrey Hepburn, and the ravishing Greta Garbo and Marilyn Monroe. Interestingly enough, did you know that recently the AFI has ranked the greatest love stories of the first century of American cinema, with "Casablanca" attaining the numero uno position? "Gone With The Wind" and "West Side Story" come only next to it among the greatest reel classics of America.
Truly worthy of their legendary status by virtue of their sprawling, epic film romance, few would venture to dispute the position of these three films as the silver screen's greatest romances ever. And it is worth mentioning that in each of these films, there are potent screen moments between the protagonists that are replete with romantic content which again, unmistakably evolve into meaningful, personalized fantasies among the lovers of these reel romances. Whosoever has seen "Roman Holiday" will never for his/her life forget the phenomenal scene between Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck when Peck puts his hand into the "Mouth of Truth" (La Bocca della Verità), a stone face in Rome that according to legend, will bite your hand off if you tell a lie. In the film, when he pulls his hand out it is missing, causing Hepburn, the disguised princess Ann, to scream hysterically. The chemistry between the two in the scene is so infectious that the audience never fails to identify the film as a superior love story with the distinction of classic romance elements.
On the other hand, those were the times that produced the ever-memorable, ever-fascinating Hollywood musicals, like the legendary "Sound of Music" (1965), "Singing in the Rain" (1952). Regarded as two of the great movie musicals of all times, these are films that linger in the hearts of lovers of romance eternally. Who can forget the sweet, ethereal chanting of Julie Andrews in "The Sound of Music" where she teaches the seven children the notes of "Do re mi" or where she asserts her individuality singing, "I have confidence in me", or where she playfully mingles with the children in the song "These are a few of my favorite things"?
For the records, the cast album was nominated for a Grammy Award for Album of the Year, while the film itself won an Academy Award for Best Picture and is one of the most popular musicals ever produced. "Singing in the Rain", on the other hand, starring Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, and Debbie Reynolds, is replete with wit as a satirical comedy, featuring one of the most lavish elements of yesteryears' musicals. It is the film where there's the phenomenal dance scene of Gene Kelly with the title track, "singing in the rain", while twirling an umbrella, splashing through puddles and getting soaked to the skin. "My Fair lady", another classic romantic comedy woven in the mould of a musical, happens to be one of my personal favorites with electrifying performances by Audrey Hepburn as Eliza Doolittle, the young, uncouth Cockney girl and Rex Harrison as Henry Higgins, an arrogant, irritable professor of phonetics. Together, they put the screen on fire with an unforgettable film adaptation of the stage musical, My Fair Lady, based in turn on the play Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw.
In the later years, to be more particular, from the nineteen hundred and seventies and eighties, there has been a noticeable transition of reel romance from the stylishly sophisticated, artsy and evocative style of the black and white years to the more bittersweet, flesh and blood world of the lovers, rocking with prolonged kissing and lovemaking scenes, unbridled energy and emotion. What can be a better example of the new cosmos in which the lovers find themselves other than that showed in "Love Story" (1970), one of the most romantic movies ever made? A romantic tearjerker from director Arthur Hiller about a passionate couple with a tragic ending, this one happens to be a heartfelt tale of the love of a lifetime. Regarded as the most successful Paramount movie up to that time, the film received seven Academy Award nominations including the Best Picture award. Another one, from the 90's, "Forrest Gump" (1994), revives the same pristine emotions of love as the story revolves along some of the most enduring and touching moments of love between Forrest (Tom Hanks) and his lifelong love Jenny. While in the film, we have a sweeping look at thirty tumultuous years of American history seen through the eyes of the charmed simpleton Forrest, we are gifted with some classic scenes those have unparalleled intricacy and depth while still being enormously engaging. Again, in the 90's, we see the enormously gripping passion and on-screen chemistry between Richard Gere and Julia Roberts in "Pretty Woman" (1990), a magnanimous love story about a wealthy businessman falling for effervescent hooker.
The chemistry between the lovers seemed to be so natural and convincing that it transcends the shackles of a romantic comedy and goes on to be remembered as quite a classic film in the romance genre. Towards the end of the 90's, the world of romance in Hollywood was again ablaze with the blockbuster of all times, "Titanic" (1997), a fictional love story between Rose (Kate Winslett) and Jack (Leonardo De Caprio), members of different social classes who fall in love aboard the ill-fated 1912 maiden voyage of the ship Titanic. Even though the film is based on the historical sinking of the gigantic Titanic, the crux and the beauty of the entire film lies in the poignant tale of their love which is even more beautified by the soulful music and memorable soundtracks of the film. On a different note, though with the same poignancy and intensity of passion, unfolds the idyllic love story between Noah (Ryan Gosling) and his love Allie (Rachel McAdams) in "the Notebook" (2004). Adapted from the 1996 romantic novel by Nicolas Sparks, it has been one of the most touching screen romances of the present times.
Last but not the least; let me share with you my feelings of witnessing another classic film outside of Hollywood that portrayed romance on screen so evocatively yet with a poignant tone that I was immediately reminded of the classic undertones of creative suggestiveness and subtlety characteristic of the celebrated reel romances of Hollywood. The film is none other than the Italian masterpiece "La Vita E Belle" ("Life is Beautiful") directed by Roberto Benigni which went on to win 3 Oscars in 1998. While the film was based on the story of the violent indignities suffered by Jews in the concentration camps of World War II, the subtleties of the film transcend the horrors of the concentration camp with some of the most beautifully screened romantic sequences in world cinema.
Remember the scene where Guido follows his bride Dora into a greenhouse and the scenes which follow thereafter? Well, rather than showing what they do there, the scene slowly dissolves to a shot of the same greenhouse, only this time, a little boy is playing there. The implications are obvious, the device serves to advance the plot a few years without restoring to the clichéd "five years later..." inter-title and the love scene is left to the audience's imagination. By virtue of the amazing screenplay, the film turns out to be an unforgettable fable that proves the indomitable spirit of love, family and imagination in the face of all evils. Undoubtedly, this, along with the joys of love, and life--has been the most enduring theory working as the ultimate foundation behind all successful romance classics in the history of Hollywood! And so, be it in "Casablanca" or in "The Notebook", both 'cupid' and 'life' rule! For, all quintessential romances are a celebration of life in its varied hues. Struck by cupid's arrows, it becomes ever more beautiful and transcendental by all means!
Friday, December 17, 2010
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
The Notebook - Iris
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YIRJWLKF-k&hl=en
Monday, December 13, 2010
The Notebook - Pieces♥
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5tjwGTzutI&hl=en
Sunday, December 12, 2010
EL DIARIO DE NOAH (The Notebook) - RECUERDOS (Memories)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CM2MqicE4xI&hl=en
Saturday, December 11, 2010
The Notebook: Joslyn's DVD Movie Pick of the Week
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDjt-vZ5ZYo&hl=en
Friday, December 10, 2010
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Kiss me like you beggarly it asian
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WH_6WTzdbU&hl=en
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
The Notebook- Young Noah & Allie- Almost Lover
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7LzsmWd1zg&hl=en
Monday, December 6, 2010
Saturday, December 4, 2010
BZ Community Class- Andye J (groups)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-xGzPa7mtQ&hl=en
Friday, December 3, 2010
I'll Be Seeing You - Billie Holiday
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gCJuJ2Qd7Q&hl=en
Thursday, December 2, 2010
[10/15/09] Who needs to abeyance amid words? NOT ME!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_pDPD7SkWk&hl=en
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
The Notebook(Dan and Serena Style)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTA7uStvqSI&hl=en
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
The Best Notebook Video-Noah & Allie-Your Eyes Teddy Geiger
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIdpA6nyogs&hl=en
Monday, November 29, 2010
Rachel McAdams Audition Tape
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XfUUYK7Gkg&hl=en
Saturday, November 27, 2010
The Notebook - Whatever it takes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwzJY7hzBNY&hl=en
Friday, November 26, 2010
Fearless - The Notebook w/lyrics
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhKGKjNN9pQ&hl=en
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Movie Review - The Notebook (2004)
THE NOTEBOOK (2004) is the film version of the mega tear-jerker romance novel of the same name by Nicholas Sparks. Nick Cassevetes (son of John C.) directed his mom and a good cast including good old James Garner for this a truly romantic movie shot in incredibly beautiful locations in South Carolina.
Two kids (the handsome Ryan Gosling as NOAH and the radioactively attractive Rachel McAdams as ALLIE) from wrong ends of the social spectrum fall in love despite the vociferous objection of the girl's super rich family.
The girl leaves town for Sarah Lawrence College while the boy continues to work at a lumberyard. Then there is WW2. The boy goes to fight in Europe. His letters (365 letters in 365 days) are conveniently hidden from ALLIE by her manipulative mother. So she decides to marry the handsome boy of the cotton king of south, a boy she meets as a wounded soldier when she was volunteering as a nurse to help the ailing vets in hospital.
After coming back home, NOAH refuses to quit dreaming about ALLIE and builds the home he promised long time ago to ALLIE as their future home.
Just before the wedding, ALLIE sees the house and a bearded and older NOAH posing in front of it in her local paper -- and she just flat passes out in front of a dozen ooohing and aaaahing southern dames while trying out her spectacular wedding gown!
Then she visits NOAH and after a few more twists (will she? won't she?), she decides to forgo the millions of the cotton king and live her life with the working class NOAH as his wife.
Now, this story is told by a much older NOAH in a nursing home to his wife ALLIE, the same kids just grown very old, in an attempt to beat ALLIE's dementia by reading her the NOTEBOOK she kept for all those years -- the very story of their love that is told in long flashbacks.
At the end, despite some lapses, she manages to regain her memory and the movie ends with a Mother of All Tear Jerkers final scene. If you don't cry during this movie, just forget it. You never will.
What a relief in this day and age of terrorism and scandals and hurricanes and global warming to watch a story of pure childish love, holding over decades despite all ods, sticking around for ages and for a lifetime. It would be unbearable to watch this kind of a movie everyday.
I still need my CHINATOWN, BLOOD SIMPLE by Coen Brothers, for example, or CRASH by Paul Haggis. But I'm also very glad that unabashedly romantic writers like Nicholas Sparks do exist. We are all fortunate that he is not selling pharmaceuticals for a living anymore. We are richer for it.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
CELEBS STYLE AT ACADEMY AWARSD 2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KoQwjssbbk&hl=en
Monday, November 22, 2010
Diario de una pasion (Audio latino) 5/12
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suQpGeXrHLA&hl=en
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Breaker High - All Seeing Bull's Eye - Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwIllBagjFI&hl=en
Saturday, November 20, 2010
The agenda book Noah and Allie
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuCjbGbZvoE&hl=en
Friday, November 19, 2010
You're Not Sorry
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LDu6r0ha3Y&hl=en
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
The Notebook- Noah & Allie
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhKHYYIJ2HE&hl=en
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
You Can Count On Me- Romantic Movie Couples
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpQB4Lla7A0&hl=en
Monday, November 15, 2010
The Notebook - you had me from hello
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkfZ-rnANH4&hl=en
Saturday, November 13, 2010
The Notebook - Chasing Cars
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3am2em-PxaY&hl=en
Friday, November 12, 2010
Noah & Allie - I'll Be Waiting
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WMPDtchhPE&hl=en
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Noah Calhoun & Allie Hamilton - She Will Be Loved
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gv4jb9qXqiY&hl=en
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
The Notebook: When I'm With You
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U63EuRvXZhg&hl=en
Monday, November 8, 2010
The Notebook Love Story
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiW9vUN3erA&hl=en
Saturday, November 6, 2010
The Notebook - Deleted Scene
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzg7pT4LXFE&hl=en
Friday, November 5, 2010
TheNotebook-At the beginning
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0t_VPcA5A7g&hl=en
Thursday, November 4, 2010
The anthology -[Noublie jamais] - Lookin For Love
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWw5h50MUwM&hl=en
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Marvel Super Heroes What The--?! The botheration with pirates French Version
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9YfGFtlLVI&hl=en
Monday, November 1, 2010
The Notebook - Allie - Sober - Kelly Clarkson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qR14BwPzV6Q&hl=en
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Once aloft a time
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9vfXl3RhIs&hl=en
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Just that babe [ep.8] DESCRIPTION!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSI2oO0lnOA&hl=en
Friday, October 29, 2010
Celebrity Biographies - Ryan Gosling
Ryan Gosling grew up in an extremely religious Mormon home to which, he says contributed greatly to who he is today. Ryan's parents divorced leaving him and his two siblings to live with his mother. Ryan had a hard time in school with other children and therefore was home-schooled by his mother. Gosling had been a part of a couple television series such as The Mickey Mouse Club, but he was really only known in and around Canada.
Ryan started building a name for himself in the US after doing a couple television series and then on to the films: The Slaughter Rule, Murder By Numbers, and Remember The Titans. Being noticed by Hollywood already, he had become considerably more well-known when he starred in the movie The Believer, which got him nominated for several awards.
When I, and probably most of America think of Ryan Gosling the most memorable move he has done is The Notebook. He acted along side Rachel McAdams that as a result of the movie had become his long time girlfriend. It was one of the most beautiful love stories ever to grace the silver screen.
The success Ryan had seen thus far was tremendous, but his career skyrocketed with his performance in the movie Half Nelson, earning him an Academy Award nomination as Best Actor.
Ryan has since been concentrating on his acting, music, and other various projects and ventures he is a part of.
Anything Ryan Gosling can't achieve? Being an Academy Award Nominee, an accomplished jazz guitarist, as well as releasing a song titled "Put Me In The Car", I would say he has all the bases covered. Everyone should expect to see much more from this multi-talented young man in the future.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
The Notebook Vs A airing to Remember
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiimjBK41DQ&hl=en
Monday, October 25, 2010
Kissing 101 - Learn From the Stars
So where did we all learn how to kiss?
A large fraction of the population learned how to kiss through watching movies or television shows. From Casablanca to Gone with the Wind to Lady and the Tramp, these movies depict how a perfect kiss should be. You can try improving your kissing skills by watching Hollywood's best film kisses. Here's my top 10 list:
#10
Kids in America
(Gregory Smith & Stephanie Sherrin)
This movie is about a budding teen romance built upon reproducing Hollywood's famous on-screen kisses. What's interesting to note is that this movie holds the record for the longest on-screen kissing scenes - 6 minutes - which can be seen in the end credits.
#9
Before Sunrise
(Ethan Hawke & Julie Delpy)
The movie features a series of "getting acquainted kisses" between Jesse and Celine as they travelled around Vienna.
#8
Rear Window
(James Stewart & Grace Kelly)
This film is famous for the "sleeping" kissing scene between Stewart and Kelly. Kelly approaches a sleeping Stewart, in a scene beautifully shot by the great Alfred Hitchcock, and right before she kisses him, he wakes up.
#7
Ghost
(Demi Moore & Patrick Swayze)
Pottery at its finest. The most unforgettable scene in this movie is the passionate kissing and lovemaking between them whilst Moore's character is shaping a clay vase with legs spread open. You wouldn't want to miss that one.
#6
A Room with a View
(Julian Sands & Helena Bonham -Carter)
This movie features an outdoor kissing scene between the feisty Lucy and free-spirited George. After this unexpected and sensuous "passion-awakening kiss", Lucy was forced to ending her engagement to her suitor, Cecil, played by Daniel-Day Lewis.
#5
The Notebook
(Rachel McAdams & Ryan Gosling)
A sentimental movie about separation and finding your way back, this film is filled with kisses, the most memorable one being the rain-soaked kiss that came after Allie discovered that Noah had written her 365 letters for each day of the year which were intercepted by her mother and led her to believe that he had forgotten about her.
#4
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
(Harrison Ford & Carrie Fisher)
Who could forget the moment of jaw-dropping truth when the audience realized that this saga wasn't a film about incest? After Leia said she "would rather kiss a wookie" we all thought dear old Han Solo wasn't going to get her. But our feisty little princess was no match for the charms of our rugged Han.
#3
The Matrix Reloaded
(Keanu Reeves & Monica Bellucci)
Ah, Monica Bellucci. She plays the love-starved and emotionally-needy wife of the Merovingian. To get back at her husband, she makes a bargain with Neo and Trinity. In exchange for bringing them to the Keymaker, she asks for a sample kiss. "...A kiss...I want you to kiss me, as if you were kissing her... You love her, she loves you. It's all over you both. A long time ago, I knew what that felt like. I want to remember it. I want to sample it. That's all. Just a sample...It's just a kiss". Neo fails at first and on the second try, Persephone sighs and says, "Yes, that's it."
#2
Cashback
(Sean Biggerstaff & Emilia Fox)
Art student Ben Willis, in this British romantic comedy, has the ability to freeze time in his fantasy world. At the end of the movie, he shows his girlfriend Sharon, played by Emilia Fox, how he could stop time during a snowfall. Ben freezes time and they begin to share a kiss in a beautiful scene.
#1
Jerry Maguire
(Tom Cruise & Renee Zellwegger)
Of course, who could forget the after-date scene between Jerry and Dorothy. In this scene, Dorothy kisses Jerry and while doing so, Jerry accidentally untied the strap to her dress. But that doesn't stop there. While re-tying the straps, Jerry kisses her on the side of her neck and her shoulders.
So what are you waiting for? Bring out the popcorn and get ready to watch how the stars kiss and tell. May the smooch be with you...
Sunday, October 24, 2010
The Notebook - Noah and Allie
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TD7Gb59r-Z0&hl=en
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Friday, October 22, 2010
Noah - The anthology - Keep Breathing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qvow9LA-2E4&hl=en
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Even Angels Fall - Allie/Noah
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGh0uupO5U4&hl=en
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Mad Men and Women's Fashions - Are You a Betty, Joan, Don Or Roger?
"Mad Men" is once again the runaway season hit. With its witty banter, beautiful cinematography and talented scriptwriting, how could it miss? The show was an obvious winner, but who knew what mayhem the show's fashions would bring?! Betty, Joan, Don and Roger are the show's standout fashionistas. You may not like how they live their lives, but man, do their outfits rock!
Betty and Joan
Betty and Joan are an obvious fashion dichotomy. Betty, with her Grace Kelly looks and simple housewife demeanor continually steals the show. Always perfectly coifed with never a hair out of place, Betty epitomizes the upscale, 1960's housewife. Remember her riding look? Amazing figure, no respectful housewife would dare eat a morsel more; spotless clothes topped with matching scarf and dazzling pear earrings. She's always a stunner, but without over doing it.
Joan is not glitzy or flamboyant, but rather aware of how she can best capture, and flaunt, her best assets. Forward in her talk and fashions, Joan purposefully emphasizes her beauty. Joan is often seen in hues of green, which of course compliments her gorgeous, red hair. All of her outfits are perfectly tailored and made to hug each curve. She wears soft, feminine and inviting fabrics. She makes no apologies for her femininity and stays true to herself.
Don and Roger
Don Draper, the TV show's star, is a breathtaking man from almost all perspectives. Unmistakably handsome, he is always the head-turner in his sharp, yet simple suits and skinny ties. Not only is his appearance crisp, but so is his business style. He has never a moment too chit-chat or talk shop, yet brilliant in his own right as an ad man.
Roger Sterling, the older, quintessential '60's white collar business owner, is comfortable in his more formal, three piece suits. The three piece suit has the flair of showmanship or performance. What other way to present yourself as a business man who creates images?
Peggy, Rachel, Midge, and Joy
As each character develops, their garbs fit who they are more and more. Peggy Olsen, the show's awkward, single woman trying to make a name for herself in the ad world, has changed her fashion style as the show progresses. Starting out at Sterling and Cooper as Don Draper's secretary, Peggy lived in boxy shaped dresses and thick cotton skirts. She clearly was uncomfortable with herself or unsure of who she was. She has now settled for girlish, non-offensive smocks. She's often seen with peter pan collars and bow details. Sporting a stylish, short bob, Peggy has started to come into her own.
Don invariable introduces new women to the show who come and go. The department store owner, Rachel Menkes, had an obvious understanding of how to pair stylish, side-swept hair with sensual low cut tops. The hippie movement in the 60's is not evident on the show since the setting is upscale New York. However, Midge, another one of Don's women, favors the bohemian, billowy skirts and loose, un-styled hair. The West Coast, breezy '60s sensibility had a brief cameo when Don meets up with Joy. Out in California, Joy and her friends wear light-colored sheath dresses and styled, yet not complicated hairstyles.
Conclusion
There is no lack of style or intrigue in the "Mad Men" lineup. Tailored suits and stylish women are in no short supply. However, as with all great shows, it is the inner mystique and intrigue of the characters and story line that ultimately drives the show to the ratings, and awards, it deserves. And if you happen to spot a sweater you "must have", all the better.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Best Romantic Comedies on DVD
The best romantic comedies on DVD are light-hearted and engaging and frequently contain humor and quirky situations. They often arise out of situations that involve misunderstandings, accidents, deceptions, coincidences and other difficulties which mean the path of true love is anything but smooth.
As well, the best romantic comedies on DVD usually demonstrate their appeal at the box office, where people pay to see them when first released.
Here are the top 10 romantic comedy movies on DVD based on world-wide gross earnings at the box office:
1. Pretty Woman (1990)
- Fantastically rich and gorgeous hunk meets a beautiful prostitute with a heart of gold. Will she become his fair lady or return to the streets? Directed by Gary Marshall. Starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere.
2. Sex And The City (2008)
- Carrie and Mr. Big are planning to get married. The question is not whether he will get to the church on time but whether he will get there at all! Directed by Michael Patrick King. Starring Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Catrall, Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon, and Chris Noth.
3. What Women Want (2000)
Male chauvinist type has an accident which enables him to tune into the thoughts of women and anticipate their every want. Directed by Nancy Meyers. Starring Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt.
4. There's Something About Mary (1998)
A shy, awkward young man hires a self-serving private detective to locate his high school dream girl. She is surrounded by lustful fraudsters all trying to win her heart. Will she see where the true gold lies? Directed by: Bobby and Peter Farrelly. Starring Cameron Diaz, Matt Dillon, Ben Stiller, Chris Elliot and Lee Evans.
5. My Big, Fat Greek Wedding (2002)
A culture clash as a girl from a traditional Greek family meets a gorgeous non-Greek guy and the problems which arise when they plan to get married. Will their relationship survive the differences? Directed by Joel Zwick. Starring Nia Vardalos (who also wrote the script), John Corbett, Lainie Kazan, Ian Gomez and Michael Constantine.
6. Hitch (2005)
A dating coach is mistakenly accused of teaching men how to get women into bed. He also discovers that his 'techniques' don't work on the woman HE wants. Directed by Andy Tennant. Starring Will Smith, Eva Mendes, Kevin James and Amber Valletta.
7. Notting Hill (1999)
Famous and beautiful movie star meets gorgeous bookseller with heart of gold. Will they overcome their differences and misunderstandings or simply go to bed with a good book? Directed by Roger Michell. Starring Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant.
8. The Proposal (2009)
A cold and bossy female executive forces her male assistant to agree to marry her so she won't be deported. They spend a weekend together in Alaska to meet his family, with surprising results. Directed by Anne Fletcher. Starring Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds.
9. Runaway Bride (1999)
Beautiful girl with a history of getting cold feet at the altar and running for the hills meets gorgeous guy who knows she is marriage shy. Can he get her to say 'I do'? Directed by Gary Marshall. Starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere.
10. My Best Friend's Wedding (1997)
Beautiful girl suddenly realizes that her long time best male friend is about to marry someone else and she would rather be the one walking down the aisle to him. Can she prevent his marriage to someone else? Directed by P. J. Hogan. Starring Julia Roberts, Cameron Diaz, Dermot Mulroney, Rupert Everett and Rachel Griffiths.
The best romantic comedies on DVD are an assorted lot but have shown that the leading characters connect with viewers, who silently cheer them on - even get to love them - and feel the frustrations, anguish and, finally, joys of those involved.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
MAMA MIA! - Here We Go Again!
STARRING:
Meryl Streep - Donna Sheridan
Amanda Seyfried - Sophie Sheridan
Julie Walters - Rosie
Christine Baranski - Tanya
Pierce Brosnan - Sam Carmichael
Colin Firth - Harry Bright
Stellan Skasgard - Bill Anderson
Dominic Copper - Sky
Ashley Lilley - Ali
Rachel McDowall - Lisa
PLOT
The movie started with Sophie is singing "I have a dream" while dropping 3 letters to 3 different persons in the different parts of the world. For Sam Carmichael (Pierce Brosnan), Bill Anderson (Stellan Skasgard) and Harry Bright (Colin Firth). She believe that 1 of these 3 gentlemen is her father.
The 3 arrived in the island in reply to Sophie's invitation but she did not informed her mother about her plans. But her mother discovers that 3 of her exes were there in the same island, in the inn she owned. Now Donna is in great trouble. She don not want her daughter to know about the 3. So the 2 is hiding the same secret with each other.
Bu the real twist happened during the bridal shower when Sky, Sophie's boyfriend, joined the party with his male friends, also in party is Sophie's three 'fathers', and the rest of the gang. It is the time when three of them admitted that they might be the father of Sophie. And the situation got even more complicated.
And wait until the wedding day itself. The movie is a blockbuster!
MY REACTION
Positive: All I can say is EXCELLENT! I really love ABBA songs, and this movie is definitely made me happy. From the moment I saw a DVD copy in the video stand yesterday, I immediately bought it. And today is my day off, so it's a perfect timing to watch this excellent movie. I loved almost all part of the movie, the singing, dancing. The cast is very good in their performances especially Brosnan and Streep, and here's some of my favorite scenes in the movie:
1. Scene where the all boys group jumping and hopping with their flippers.
2. The Meryll Streep solo "the winner takes it all".
3. Scene where all the girls in the island joined Streep and her friends in singing and dancing.
4. The bridal shower dance with the boys.
And I voted as my most favorite scene is the singing trio of Streep and her 2 friends performing like showgirls.
Negative: Not recommended to people who don not appreciate musical movie. LOL.
OVER-ALL RATING:
10 out of 10 stars - Excellent
RECOMMENDATION
I really loved this movie, no wonder it is a worldwide blockbuster. Very entertaining and makes me singing along with the actors. I almost cried laughing while watching this film. This is such a great movie. A MUST SEE BLOCKBUSTER FILM.
DIRECTED BY:
Phyllida Lloyd
RELEASED BY:
Universal Pictures
BUDGET:
$52,000,000.00
GROSS:
$520,350,064.00
RUNNING TIME:
1 Hr 48 Min
DATE OF RELEASE:
July 18, 2008
Saturday, October 16, 2010
The Life of a Character Actor
I was spending quality time with my 10-year-old niece, Nicole, the way quality time is defined these days - by watching TV - and there on "Zach and Cody" was the lovable geek from "Boston Common," simply named, D.C. I remembered his tag line in one episode was "just like the city, without all the traffic." Having been born in Washington D.C. the quote inevitably stayed in my head as did the skinny guy with the booming voice. In fact, it was the voice that triggered the memory, as the man himself now on the tube in front of me seemed to have grown into his voice. Older, of course (only women don't age in Hollywood, because they aren't allowed to), but the hair close-cropped instead of flowing like the early nineties look I first saw him in and the frame filled out like anyone should be after 15 years. And as a pompous elementary school dean, he was funny. Fun-ee. Even Nicole laughed out loud as he berated Zach (or was it Cody? Is there a difference?) with a mop in a dream sequence. This might sound silly, but it was nice to see him again.
Then a few weeks later, there he was on "What About Brian?" (Yes, I watch it. Religiously. Judge me if you will, but ask yourself if you have a guilty boob tube pleasure or two that you'd blush to admit to. "You're The One That I Want," anyone?) He had shed Zach and Cody's haughty, over-the-top kid show character and merrily slipped into the demeanor of a slightly smarmy egotistical boss to Rick Gomez' Dave Greco. I was all a-flutter. "Ah! That guy!" I exclaimed and pointed to the TV, though no one else was in the room. I couldn't help it. I was a fan. Here was a guy that was so familiar; even though I didn't know his name, I loved his work. Like Richard Jenkins. Before he was on Six Feet Under, I always clapped my hands in glee when I saw him on the small or large screen. I hadn't seen "D.C. from Boston Common" in a while. It was like meeting up with an old friend again. I wondered where else he might surprise me?
The next time I saw him, I almost peed my pants. As a straightforward White House lawyer on Fox's "24" he disagreed with Peter MacNichol's Thomas Lennox, trying to give D.B. Woodside's President Wayne Palmer sound advice. Okay, this was crazy. I had to find out where this guy had been between NBC's "Boston Common" and this rush of recent roles. Had he been hiding under his bed for 15 years or had I just not been watching the right shows? In fact, what is the life of a non-celebrity in Tinsel Town? Who are those people you always recognize, but whose names aren't blasted across the tabloids every week? After all, these people, the ones that are continually working but whose names you don't know, are really the people you see most of the time.
After some investigation via the Internet - starting at imdb.com "Boston Common" - I first found out that "D.C." was in fact, D.C. Douglas. Scrolling down the impressive list of TV and film roles, I realized I had been missing him constantly: "ER," "NYPD Blue," "Las Vegas," "Strong Medicine" and a host of other roles had kept him busy. I rapidly moved onto his websites - all five of them, and found his contact info. Easy. So I called him - and there it was, The Voice. He seemed surprised to hear that anyone would want to interview him. So surprised in fact, that he laughed out loud - a great, hearty cackle, impossible to describe or imitate. Higher than you might imagine and loud enough for me to jerk the receiver away from my ear. But he was game. "What the hell," he said. "You don't work for The Enquirer, right?"
Turns out, this is one busy guy. Between on-camera acting and voice over, D.C. is constantly and consistently working. He invited me to interview him on a battleship in the middle of the night. But he had good reason; he was currently in the middle of shooting "Deadwater," a ghost ship thriller with Lance Henrikson and James Russo, due out in 2007. So I drove to San Pedro, climbed aboard the USS Lane and talked with him between takes down in the bowels of the beast.
I was embarrassed, but I had to know about "Boston Common." That's where I first saw him, so I assumed that was his first significant gig. But like most actors, he had already been on plenty of TV shows like "Coach" and "Melrose Place" and "Boston Common" was supposed to be a one-episode co-star. But Hollywood is unpredictable, and you never know what might help an unknown move forward. In this case, it was that laugh that nearly burst my eardrum when I first spoke to him that turned one line into ten episodes.
Vicki Rosenberg was the casting director for "Boston Common" and D.C. even had to audition for the one line. Once hired, "they had me there the whole week during the producer run-through," D.C. started. "It was a funny show and I couldn't help but laugh. And I laugh rather loudly and unabashedly - I once had a neighbor ask me not to laugh at night because it kept her up - so the next day for the Network run-through, Max Mutchnick and David Kohan (co-creators of "Will and Grace") told me to 'feel free to laugh as much as you want.' So I did. And then I sent a big basket of wine to congratulate them on the pilot. It was the first time anyone called me back to thank me... and Max said if there were more episodes, they'd bring me back. And they actually did! It took several episodes before they turned the character's name into D.C., because they were never sure if they could bring me back... at first they just plugged me into whatever odd role there was, but eventually I became 'D.C.' There I was, having a role essentially written for me. I was sure I had hit it big. I spent most of the money assuming I'd get nice residuals from summer repeats."
And then there was that laugh as he said, "The show lasted one season and was cancelled. No repeats. It went straight to cable and I made $50 in residuals for all 10 episodes."
So what does an unknown do then? Back to the proverbial pounding of the pavement, which, in L.A is done by car.
After fifteen years and untold gallons of gas, he has over a hundred on-camera projects under his belt. Between those and his busy voice-over career, he no longer needs to have an alternate job to pay the bills. "That's refreshing; I was a horrible waiter." But it did take some time to get there. An actor with no contacts is going to have as hard a time getting jobs in Hollywood as a mountain climber getting to the top of Everest without extra oxygen.
An actor's first contact on the long food chain of Hollywood is the casting director. Unless you can make friends (or lovers, for the more ambitious) out of producers, casting directors are an actor's connection to those highly coveted and sparsely available jobs. The first casting director in D.C.'s corner was Dava Waite, whom he met when he auditioned for "21 Jump Street". He didn't get the role, but she referred to him as a chameleon and called him in as often as she could. "She felt it was her duty to get me my SAG card. It was a Roy Rogers commercial that put me in the union and Dava continued to cheer me on. A couple of years later, she got me on "Coach" with Craig T. Nelson, acting opposite a young guest star; Rob Schneider." Soon in 1996, he was laughing it up on "Boston Common."
Twenty years later, many casting directors know him and trust him as a professional to work well with stars like James Caan ("Las Vegas"), Sherri Stringfield and Mekhi Phifer ("ER"), Alyssa Milano and Holly Marie Combs ("Charmed"), Rachel Nichols ("The Insider") and of course as already mentioned, Peter MacNichol and D.B. Woodside on "24".
And that list isn't just limited to TV, either. Through numerous independent films D.C. has acted with the likes of Tony Plana (of "Ugly Betty"), Krista Allen ("Totally Blonde"), Lorraine Newman ("Saturday Night Live") and a slew of big names in "The Commission" that included Martin Sheen, Martin Landau, Sam Waterston, Ed Asner and Corbin Bernsen.
So...no, I guess he hasn't been hiding under his bed. I just can't possibly see every TV show and every independent film ever made. But I've probably heard him more than I realize. Especially lately as his GEICO campaign has been running for six months. As the front and end voice over tags introducing the celebrities that translate for real GEICO customers, D.C.'s voice bounces around the nation on TV and radio waves.
As he makes his living behind the mic and in front of the camera, the paths occasionally cross. For the movie "Factory Girl," the star wasn't available to record some off-screen lines, so D.C. was called in to imitate Guy Pierce imitating Andy Warhol. "That was trippy." he said.
At that moment in our interview, D.C. was called to set to get beaten up by Lance Henrikson. We'd covered a lot of ground during the time I'd been there - for a guy from the West Coast, he talks fast. Ideas, descriptions and a gnarly sense of humor seem to fuel him forward and the listener has to hold on tight to keep up. I didn't mind - I'm from New York, after all.
In his absence, I wondered how he gets through the dry spells, if there are any. I've spoken to plenty of people in this business and the statement I hear the most is that unless you're Tom, Meryl, Julia or Kate, you have to create your own projects. No one sends you scripts to read if they don't know who the hell you are.
And furthermore, though co-stars and guest stars on TV shows are good gigs, most actors dream of their own sit-com or series. But the reality is that you're doing well if you're getting a lot of auditions and booking these kinds of roles. And these days, since most guest stars are being stunt-cast with stars (Madonna on "Will & Grace," anyone?), getting any auditions at all puts an actor ahead of most of the pulsing, shoving throng of people trying to jam their feet around the casting director's door. D.C. is one of those actors that has been in Hollywood long enough that casting directors know him, like him and know they can count on him. Yet, still it's tough. But when there's nothing else you want to - or by his admission, can't - do, you have no choice but to persevere.
For D.C., part of that perseverance comes in the form of creating his own projects. During his next break between shots, he denied being a writer, but I know from imdb.com that he's written and produced five original award-winning short films. In fact, he's also directed, edited, animated and acted in them. His most recent project that played the festival circuit is "Duck, Duck, Goose!" - a blend of 60's Technicolor European romp and post-modern cynicism. Worth a watch, if you want to buy it online - It won four festival awards, including one to D.C. for Best Actor and one to Robin Daléa, his "pint-sized fireball of a girlfriend, a talented and beautiful actress in her own right and a full foot shorter than me." Three awards came from one festival in New Jersey. "They love us in Trenton!"
Currently, he's in the midst of editing and animating another pet project he directed entitled, "The Crooked Eye," a short film based on a short story written by his mother, Betty Malicoat. Fay Masterson ("Eyes Wide Shut" and "Man Without A Face") stars and had to act in front of a green screen the entire time. "We shot 78 shots in two days and the first day, we didn't have any air conditioning. Poor Fay was practically a puddle by the end of the day, but she was a real trooper. Luckily the second day, the air was back on."
Looking at his resume of directing, I asked if he was pursuing that line of work too. He shook his head, "I'm having a helluva time pursuing being an actor, why would I want to pursue being a director too?" But, he added, if he was offered the opportunity and liked the project, he'd do it.
Part of persevering in the finicky industry of TV and film is recognizing that you're a product and embracing your type. "I'll never be on a show of gorgeous people like Courtenay Cox-Arquette's new show 'Dirt' or a show of young, beautiful people like 'The O.C.' You have to know your place in the market and know it's not a reflection of you as a person." And the laugh, "...but I can't be that bad; I managed to snag Robin."
In viewing his demo reel and individual clips, in the past 15 years, this actor has clearly gone from geek to guy. The Flock Of Seagulls haircut is gone and the man has grown into his voice. An actor's type is at the mercy of genetics and the passage of time. (And one's financial ability and desire to combat them with modern technology). So an actor's type is in constant flux and a smart one knows what to market. D.C. does just that, working his skills and look together.
So, then, for an unknown, working actor, what is success? "When I get there, I'll let you know. I have a funny feeling I'll be 85 when I finally get my own hit series and it won't matter much because anyone I hoped would see me that successful will probably be dead!" And there it is, the laugh that seems to carry him through it all, reverberating off the ship's steel walls until he's told to quell it by the first A.D. "Quiet on set! Please hold all cackling laughter!" D.C. puts his hands over his mouth...and quietly giggles.